Centrifugal separator



July 14, 1925.

A. HOFFBAUER CENTRIFUGAL SEP ARATOR Filed Aug.

Patented July l4, 1925 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ALFRED HO'FFBAUER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN SUGAR REFINING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JER- GENTRIFUGAL snrARA'ron.

Application filed August 14, 1920. Serial No. 403,595.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED HorFBAUnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New lork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Separators; and I do hereby declare the follow-- 'ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. y

This invention relates to centrifugal separators such as are used to separate liquids from solids by the application of centrifugal force. In the following description reference is made, by way of example, to the use of a centrifugal separator in the treatment of sugar, but it should be understood that the invention is not limited to such use, and has in fact, a general application to centrifugal separators regardless of the character of the materials treated therein.

The separation of syrup from the sugar is accomplished by depositing the mass of syrup and sugar in a foraminous basket which is rotated at high speed, whereby the sugar is thrown against the perforated walls, through which the syrup passes into a sur rounding casing from which it is withdrawn. After being washed by a spray of water to remove traces of the syrup remaining, the sugar is delivered from the basket through an opening in the bottom, which is normally closed by a removable cover.

The mass of syrup and sugar is delivered to the basket of the centrifugal from a suitable receptacle through a discharge outlet, controlled by a manually operable closure which is manipulated by the operator to charge the basket at each successive operation. The maximum quantity of the sugar mass which thebasket is capable of successfully handling, is more or less definitely limited, and through inadvertence or carelessness the operator frequently permits the delivery of too large a quantity of the mass to the basket. In this event, it is not unusual for the sugar, under the influence of centrifugal force, to climb over the upper edge of the basket and to escape with t(l)1e separated syrup from the outer casing. course the escape of sugar in this manner seriously affects the efliciency of the separation, and the sugar must be recovered from thesyrup by furtherqtreatment, entailing additional operations and cost,

It is the object of the invention to overthe upper edge of the'basket inwardly and downwardly to e ntre of the basket," Further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and ing" drawin in which-- accompany,-

[ ig. 1 is a vertical section through a cenf trifugal separator embodying the invention. 2 is a plan section of the centrifugal, an

1 Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the deflector.

It is to be understood that the centrifugal separator, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, may be varied in detail, and that the invention is applicable to this and other forms of centrifugal separators in which the difficulty hereinbefore mentioned is experienced. The invention involves the arrangement of a deflector in adjustable relation to the upper edge of the revolving basket, with an edge so disposed asto intercept any sugar tending to rise above a given level and shaped to direct this sugar inwardly and downwardly toward the center of the basket, whence it is'again thrown outwardly by centrifugal force against the wall of the basket. Obviously the bulk of the sugar mass, when first delivered to the basket, exceeds considerablythat of the separated sugar. Consequently, if the sugar first tends to creep over the edge of the basket and is returned thereto in the manner explained, it will eventually lodge against the wall of the basket, and owing to the decreased bulk, the operation may be completed without removing, any of the surplus sugar from the basket.

Referring to the drawing, 7 indicates the casing of the centrifugal separator. The

top of the casing is partially closed by an rotating the basket, a casing surrounding the basket, means for delivering material to be separated to the basket, a support on the casing and an inverted U-shaped deflector held on the support in spaced relation with the upper edge of the basket.

5. In a centrifugal separator the combination of a foraminous basket, a casing surrounding the basket, means for rotating the basket, means for delivering material to be 1 separated to the basket, an adjustable support on the casing and an inverted U-shaped deflector held on the support in spaced re lation With the upper edge of the basket.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALFRED HOFFBAUER. 

